Caroline Flack defends Love Island as she says ‘stop blaming without the facts’

Caroline Flack has urged critics to 'stop blaming Love Island without the facts' ahead of its fifth series.

There had been doubt cast about whether the ITV2 dating reality show would return following the suicides of two former contestants Sophie Gradon, 32, and Mike Thalassitis , 26.

The 38-year-old presenter, who will be hosting the main show and the companion Aftersun, has defended the series and says it shouldn't be made a scapegoat.

Caroline told Metro: "We need to stop blaming and speculating without the facts.

"As a human race we all need to come together, communicate, open up, express ourselves, be kind and be understanding of what all of us are dealing with on a daily basis.

"We are not robots. We are human beings with feelings and emotions. We all need to listen to one another without any judgement or discrimination."

Caroline said she had witnessed first hand the "first-class care" given to the Islanders before and after the show.

And for the fifth series new aftercare guidelines have been implemented so that contestants will be given at least eight therapy sessions after the show ends.

Caroline reiterated her belief that Love Island is all about romance and love in an Instagram Q&A ahead of the launch of her latest River Island collection.

Referring to how the show will keep viewers entertained in the villa when one follower asked, 'Will Love Island be juicy this year?'

Cazza said: "Love Island is always juicy, it's not the juiciness that gets everyone going I think it's the people falling in love that is the good bits, not the juicy bits."

Reps for the ITV2 show confirmed that the contact with the Islanders will continue for 14 months until the end of the next series.

New guidelines have also confirmed that additional help will be available where applicable and that bespoke training on dealing with social media and advice on finance and adjusting to their new lifestyle will also be offered.

The ITV2 show is due to return to TV on June 3, but there had been calls to scrap the series following the suicide of two contestants.

Both Mike Thalassitis, 26, and Sophie Gradon , 32, took their own lives after appearing on the show and ITV bosses want to ensure that everyone, including the Islanders' relatives, receive relevant support as the series starts.

Mike was a contestant in 2017 and he tragically died in March while suffering from depression.

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Sophie, who had starred in 2016, took her own life last year while suffering with anxiety.

Pressure on the show was stepped up this month following another death – that of Jeremy Kyle guest Steve Dymond, who is believed to have taken his life days after filming an appearance on the show.

The Jeremy Kyle Show has since been axed over the tragedy.

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